Suction cleaner



May 21, 1946. c. A. LINDBERG SUCTION CLEANER Filed Oct. 16, 1943 Zinnentor @WZ .4Li'nclken7 By A Gttorneg Patenteci May 21, 1946 SUCTION CLEANER Carl A. Lindberg, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Air- Way Electric Appliance Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application October 16, 1943, Serial No. 506,468

2 Claims.

This invention relates to suction cleaners of the type in which the filtering and'suction units are both enclosed within a rigid housing to which a dust-laden air stream is lead through a flexible suction hose from a cleaning tool.

One object of the invention is to provide 'a suction cleaner of this type wherein the filtering unit is vertically disposed and the hose is connected to the housing in such position as to obtain maximum efficiency in the conveyance of a dust-laden air stream into the filtering and collecting units, yet the center of gravity of the entire body of the cleaner is suiliciently low and the weight is sufliciently distributed horizontally so that the cleaner body may be dragged about tration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a suction cleaner incorporating the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the same; and

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view illustrating the means for establishing the blower connection. As an example of one form in which the inven-, tion may be embodied, we have shown in the drawing the body portion of a suction cleaner I embodying a suction unit Ill and filtering unit I2 by the suction hose without being tipped over by the pull of the hose.

Another object of the invention is to produce a cleaner wherein the suction unit is coupled closely to the filtering and dust collecting unit so as to obtain efliciency in the application of suction to the filtering unit. 1

A further object is to produce an arrangement wherein the space within a streamlinedhousing, such, for example, of "tear drop shape, is utilized so as to obtain maximum compactness.

A still further object is to produce a cleaner of the type indicated wherein both the filtering and suction units can be readily exposed for servicing and wherein a field connection between thesuction hose and filtering unit may be readily established. Specifically, in this connection, the invention contemplates an arrangement for particularly rapid exposure of' the filtering unit for the removal and replacementpf filtering receptacles. For the attainment of the foregoing object, the

invention contemplates an arrangement wherein the filtering and suction units are mounted side by .side upon a base and enclosed between the base and a dome-shaped cove! member which is adapted to be moved to a position wherein the suction and filtering unit are completely or almost completely exposed above the base, and wherein the cover incorporates a separate hinged cover section fortheflltering unit which may be quickly raised without moving the mainbody portion of the cover.

A still further object of .the invention is to provide a suction cleaner incorporating improved mechanism for establishing a blower connection to the suction unit and providing for muflling of the sound produced by the normal discharge of air from the suction unit.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illusmounted side by side upon a base l4. A cover l6 cooperates with the base l4 to form a housing defining a chamber I! in which the suction and filtering units lfl and I2 are enclosed. The cover I6 is provided with foot members l8 which are adapted to rest upon cushioned members 22 on the base 14 for supporting the cover on the base.

Latches 26 are adapted to secure the cover I6 to the base. By removing the cover, the filtering unit l2 and suction unit III are completely exposed for servicing operations.

The filtering unit 12 includes the receptacle 20, a perforated liner 36 encircling and supporting the lateral wall of the receptacle 20, and a tubular casing 38 encircling and spaced from the liner 36. At the upper end of the casing 38 is an annular channel 60 in which is mounted a ring 42 of compressible material such as, for example, soft rubber, and the recptacle 20, which is preferably of porous paper so that it may be disposed of when filled, is provided at its upper end with a non-porous flange 44 resting upon the packing ring '42.

The cover 5 is provided with a separate cover; 7

section 24 hinged at 25 to the body portion of the cover l6 and having an annular flange 46 adaptedto clamp the flange 44 against the packing ring 4-2. The cover section 24 also has a delivery nozzle 48 receivable in a central opening 50 in a non-porous top member 52, for-example of impervious fiber material, which is secured to the receptacle-20. The .top member 52 may be connected integrally with the flange 44 by a depressed portion 54 by means of which the top member is stitched to the receptacle 20. The nozzle 48 carries a sealing ring 56 of compressible material, such as soft rubber, which is adapted to seal the nozzle to the top 52. The parts are so arranged that they sealing of the nozzle 48 to the top 52 and the clamping of the flange tion shown in Figure 2, by means of a latch a fresh receptacle.

discharge openings 88. The housing 84 is preferably formed or a pair of stampings secured to gether by annular flange means 81. The discharge openings 88 discharge into a discharge chamber 88 which is formed by a shroud member 88 having an inturned flange 88 attached to Formed in the cover section 24 is an inlet 58 which is connected to the nozzle 48' by a, short duct 88. A cleaning tool (not shown) is adapted to be'connected to the inlet 58 by a flexible'suction tube 88 having on one end a suitable connector 88 for connection to the inlet 58. The connector 68, may, if desired, incorporate a swivel to permit swiveling of the tube 88 relative to the body of the cleaner. Suitable means, such as a latch 88, may be employed for connecting the hose 88 to the inlet 58 in such a manner as to form a draft connection by means of which the cleaner body maybe pulled around'at the end of the hose 65. l

The casing 38 of the filtering unit I2 is mounted atits lower end on an annular flange 18 formed integrally with the base l4 and constituting one end 'of a duct 12 adapted to apply suction to the lower end of the casing 38, which is open and in communication with an annular part defined by the flange I8. Suitable attaching elements such as screws 62, extendin upwardly through the base It and flange l and threaded into an inturned flange 84 on the lower end of the casing 38, may be employed for securing the casing 38 to the flange 18. The other.

end of the duct 12 is extended diagonally upwardly as at 13 and is provided with a counter the flange means 8'|.- Shroud 88 has an end wall 8|. Formed in the end-wall 8| is a discharge outlet 82 which registers with a discharge outlet.

83 in the main coversection H5. The, discharge outlet 83 is adapted to be closed by a cap 84 having a curved air deflecting surface cooperating with the outlet 92 to spread the dischargefrom the chamber 88 in a manner which reduces the noise of discharge to a minimum,

The outlet 82 also serves, to deliver the discharge to a blower coupling 85 which may be inserted through the outlet 83. The coupling 95 is adapted to flt snugly in the outlet 82 so' as to receive the full discharge from the chamber 88;

The-shroud 89 muilles the sound of the air-issuing through the discharge-aperture 88 in addition to collecting the dischargefor delivery to the coupling 85.

. It is to be understood that numerous changes, in details or construction, arrangement and upi eration maybe efiected without departing from bore 14 forming a seat for a gasket 83 of yieldable material, such as soft rubber.

The suction unit l8 includes an electric motor having a casing 18, one end 01. which is seated against the gasket 83 and formed with an inlet I mounting 88 which is attached to the brackets 34 and 35 by the screws 32. Vibration developed in the suction unit is absorbed in the mounting 88, the yieldable gasket 83 permitting the lower endof the motor to vibrate without destroying the sealed connection between the inlet port I8 and the duct portion 13. The vibration is about the center of themounting 88.

The suction unit I8 .is arranged on an axis which is inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the duct portion 13. An important advantage of this arrangement lies in the fact that it provides for maximum closeness of coupling between the inlet 16 and the lower end of the illtering unit l2, thus increasing the suction efflciency of the cleaner. A further advantage of the arrangement arises from the disposition of the fan housing 84 at such an angle as to make available for it a space of maximum extent in the plane of its radii, and also accommodating the shorting mechanism which will now be described. n

The upper end wall 85 of the fan casing 84 is provided with an annularly arranged series of the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. I 7

What I claim is:

1. In a suction cleaner, a base, a suction unit and a filtering unit mounted side by side upon said base in vertically disposed arrangement with the outlet of the filtering unit at the lower end thereof in proximity to the base and in juxtaposed relation to the inlet of the suction unit, theinlet of the suction unit being at the lower end thereof, means in the region of the base providing a relatively short conduit between the filtering unit outlet and the suction unit inlet, a cover cooperating with said base to enclose both units;- a mounting for said cover enabling same to be moved away from both units to expose same for servicing operations, a separate movable cover section carried by said cover adapted to fit snugly the upper portion of said filtering unit thereby through which a blower attachment coupling may be inserted for connection with said shroud to receive the concentrated discharge from said, 

